Conduct of examinees
・ Chief officer of the Yamato Maru
The conduct of chief officer did not contribute to the accident in question.
・ Chief engineer of the Yamato Maru
The conduct of the chief engineer did not contribute to the accident in question.
Conduct of designated persons concerned in the marine accident
・ Owner of the Yamato Maru
The failure of the company owning of the Yamato Maru to provide the vessel's crew with sufficient guidance and training regarding observation of the company's safety guidelines was a contributing factor in this accident. Following the accident, the company established an accident response committee chaired by the president and representative director and took steps to enhance its safety practices, such as improving steering room construction and reinforcing safety training for crew members and ground staff. For this reason, no recommendation was pronounced against the owner of the vessel.
・ Builder of the Yamato Maru
The conduct of the company that built the Yamato Maru did not contribute to the accident in question.
■ Collision between cargo ships Asian Hibiscus and Chu Hai
Judgment pronounced on March 19, 1999; Moji Local Marine Accidents Inquiry Agency
Date and time of occurrence: November 11, 1997; 2339 hours
Place of occurrence: Kanmon Port
Damage/fatalities and injuries: Asian Hibiscus: Severe damage to vessel
Chu Hai: Total loss of vessel; one crew fatality
Summary of facts
The Asian Hibiscus, a 7,170-ton cargo ship with 18 crew members carrying 80 containers, 500 tons of cement, 800 tons of steel pipe and other cargo, departed the port of Pusan, in the Republic of Korea, bound for the Tanoura quarter of Kanmon Port. The Chu Hai, a 2,387-ton cargo ship with 24 crew members carrying 2,751 tons of steel coil, departed the port of Oita bound for the port of Nantong Gang in the People's Republic of China, via the Kanmon Channel. En route, the bow of the Asian Hibiscus collided with the Chu Hai's starboard midship.
Key points of the judgment
Examinees and designated persons concerned in the marine accident
No examinees or designated persons concerned in the marine accident were specified in this case.
Analysis of contributing factors
As described in the summary of facts, this accident is primarily due to fact that the Chu Hai failed to yield when the Asian Hibiscus entered the Kanmon Channel by moving to the right side of the channel, as it is required to do by Article 14, Paragraph 14, of the Port Regulations Law. The inappropriate actions of the Chu Hai are attributable to the following:
